Course Number: LIS 677
Young Adult Literature and Literacy
Pratt Institute
Term: Summer II, 2009
Instructor: Jack Martin
Phone: 917-414-9678; 212-439-0736
AIM/Twitter: jacksondevious
Facebook: Jackson Devious
Myspace: www.myspace.com/hillias
Email: hilliasj@earthlink.net
Office Hours: By appointment.
Pratt Institute, Manhattan Campus, Room 608
Mondays and Wednesdays, 6-9PM
Credits: 3: Elective
Prerequisites: None
Course Description:
This course explores the social and psychological needs and attitudes of adolescents, aged 12-18, and the literature created especially for this demographic. The primary focus of this class is the literacy practices of teenagers and the evaluation, selection and activation of print, online and non-print materials available for them. Special attention is paid to the developmental tasks of this age group with an eye towards literary recommendation. Discussion topics will include popular literature for teen readers, literacy and technology, the media and popular culture as it applies to this age group, non-print materials, and the use of specialized selection materials to develop collections in school and public libraries.
Course Goals:
• Students will develop an understanding of youth developmental tasks and learn how to apply those concepts in the library setting.
• Students will become familiar with print, online and non-print materials available for young adults and create pathways that connect adolescents to library offerings.
• Students will become familiar with review media, and learn how to develop and apply standards when making collection decisions.
• Students will explore a variety of methodologies to promote library materials and services in the eyes of adolescents.
Student Learning Outcomes:
• Develop a working knowledge of the variety of materials available for young adults, aged 12-18.
• Develop user-center strategies for promoting library materials for teenagers.
• Analyze, discuss, communicate and synthesize information and knowledge in a variety of formats.
• Respond to diversity in individuals and communities in terms of policies, collections, services and ideologies.
Course Requirements and Evaluation:
Class participation: 10%
Reflection Blogs: 20%
Talk to Teens Assignment and Presentation: 20%
Community Profile: 15%
Book Talks: 15%
Topical Resources List and Presentation: 20%
Course Policies:
• All students are required to attend class and arrive on time on a regular basis unless prior arrangements are made with the instructor. Continuous absence and/or lateness will result in a lower grade. Missing class without notifying the professor on an assignment or booktalk day will result in a lower grade for that assignment.
• All students will complete – on time – the assignments as outlined in this syllabus. Late assignments will result in a lower grade. If you need an extension on an assignment, please contact the professor.
• For each assignment that requires essay writing and/or the use of quotes or information from additional sources, students are required to use a consistent and recognizable citation style (MLA, APA, etc). All quoted information must be appropriately cited.
• Assignments should be delivered via email
• Frequent and/or consistent spelling, grammar, and/or style mistakes in written assignments will result in a lower grade.
Course Schedule:
Monday, June 29
Theme: Teens and Literacy/Achievement Motivation/Reading for Pleasure
Read:
Alexie: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Meyer: Twilight
Chmakova: Dramacon
Twilight Soundtrack
Black Eyed Peas: Boom Boom Pow
Blog Setup
Ladder of Participation
Teens and Pop Culture: Anne Rouyer
Sign up for Myspace, Twitter and Facebook accounts. Friend your classmates!
Reading Habits Log assignment
Wednesday, July 1
Theme: Positive Identity
Readings:
Books:
Cooper: Altar Ego
St. James: Freak Show
Yoshida: Banana Fish Volume 1
Martin, Hillias J. and Murdock, James R. Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Teens: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians. Neal Schuman. 2007. Chapter 5, pages 65-79.
Martin, Hillias J. and Murdock, James R. Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Teens: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians. Neal Schuman. 2007. Chapter 6, pages 81-105.
Watch:
An episode of Family Guy
Listen:
Green Day: 21st Century Breakdown
Create your own radio station on Pandora.com or Last.FM
Booktalk 1 Due
Blog 3 Due
Monday, July 13
No Class: Catch up on Reading.
Community Resource List due via email
Blog 4 Due
Wednesday, July 15
Theme: Constructive Use of Time; Planning and Decision-Making
Read:
Doctorow: Little Brother
Scalin: Skulls
Yang, Gene: The Eternal Smile
Articles:
Ito, Mizuko, Heather A. Horst, Matteo Bittanti, danah boyd, Becky Herr-Stephenson, Patricia G. Lange, C.J. Pascoe, and Laura Robinson
(with Sonja Baumer, Rachel Cody, Dilan Mahendran, Katynka Martínez, Dan Perkel, Christo Sims, and Lisa Tripp.) Living and Learning with New Media: Summary of Findings from the Digital Youth Project. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Reports on Digital Media and Learning, November 2008. http://digitalyouth.ischool.berkeley.edu/report
Watch:
An episode of the Colbert Report
Listen:
My Chemical Romance—The Black Parade
Gaming Intro
Community Profile Due
Booktalk 2 due
Blog 5 due.
Monday, July 20
Theme: Boundaries and Expectations
Read:
Booth: Tyrell
Byrd: The Vast Fields of Ordinary
Yael and Chin: No Regrets
Magazines with teen appeal, such as Seventeen, GamePro, The Source or Alternative Press.
Watch:
Any Real Housewives episode
Listen:
Katy Perry: One of the Boys
Meet Chris Shoemaker, Teen Technology Programmer Extraordinaire!
Booktalk 3 Due
Blog 7 Due
Monday, July 27
Theme: Empowerment
Read:
Lyga: Boy Toy
Ohba: Deathnote, Volume 1: Boredom
Redd: Body Drama
Articles:
Moje, Elizabeth Birr. "To Be A Part of the Story: The Literacy Practices of Gangsta Adolescents ." Teachers College Record. Jun 2000.Vol.102, Iss. 3; pg. 651.
Watch:
An episode of America’s Next Top Model
Listen:
Rihanna—Good Girl Gone Bad Reloaded
Meet the Author Barry Lyga!
Talk to Teens Assignment Due
Blog 8 Due
Wednesday, July 29
Theme: Social Competencies
Read:
Cameron: Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You
Von Ziegesar: Gossip Girl
Miller: Passive Aggressive Notes
Final Presentations due: Topical Resource lists and Booktalks
Course Assignments:
Class Participation—Students are expected to fully participate in class assignments, discussions, and exercises. Multiple absences from this class without prior notification to the instructor will result in a lower grade.
Blog Reflections—must be completed throughout the course. Blogging is a way for you to articulate your thoughts and ideas about the topics we discuss in class. Each week you should post a blog reflecting on the week’s readings, activities, discussions or any thoughts you might have about teens and libraries: teens, how to best serve them, the media they immerse themselves in, reading, literacy and more. Each blog should have:
A Title
A Focus—a specific book, TV show, etc
Direct relation to developmental assets
Good grammar and spelling (please proof your blogs before posting)
We will discuss how to set up your blogs on Day One of the class. The instructor will respond to your posts throughout the semester.
You are responsible for a total of ten blog posts, one post per class, throughout the semester, not counting the first and last class. Failure to post during each week will result in a lower grade.
Community Profile—Identify a neighborhood or community in New York City (Belmont, Park Slope, Astoria, etc). Research how that neighborhood supports the teens who live in it: schools, police stations, hospitals, community-based organizations, after school programs and cultural institutions. Create an annotated resource list of at least ten agencies in that community who serve teens designed for a teen audience. Grades will be based on content, accuracy, grammar and overall appeal of the list, including the design. Be prepared to discuss highlights of your list with the class.
This assignment is due on Monday, July 13.
Talk To Teens Assignment and Discussion—Identify a group of teens that regularly come together in a public or school library. Arrange with the librarian to meet with them. (If you need help finding a library with a group of teens, please consult with the instructor.)
Prior to the meeting, read over some of the Young Adult Library Services Associations published book lists, such as Best Books for Young Adults or Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers from the past 2-3 years (not older). Bring some of the titles from those lists to your meeting with the librarian in the teens.
During your meeting, ask the teens:
What they read? In print? Online?
How often they read?
What do they think reading means?
What do they do when they’re not reading?
Would they read any of the titles you brought to the discussion? Why or why not?
What do they think of their school or public library?
After the meeting, compile the information you gathered (answers from the teens and librarian plus your own ideas) into a paper with a title and focus. Be sure to include your own observations and conclusions from conducting the interview. Be prepared to describe your experience on the day this assignment is due.
This assignment is due on Monday, July 27.
Book Talks—Book talks vary in length and style, which will be discussed on Thursday, February 12. In total, you are responsible for five formal book talks throughout the course.
These book talks are due on Wednesdays July 8, 15, 22, 29.
Topical Resource List and Presentation—Choose a topic that addresses one or more developmental tasks to be approved by the instructor on Monday, July 20. Create, compile and design an annotated resource list/bibliography for a teen audience of materials—both print and non-print—related to that topic. Include at least 15 titles. Be prepared to book talk at least 3-4 materials from the list in a 8-10-minute presentation. Accuracy, originality and teen appeal should be considered.
This assignment is due on Wednesday, August 5.
Reading List:
Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Little, Brown: 2007.
Young Adult Literature and Literacy
Pratt Institute
Term: Summer II, 2009
Instructor: Jack Martin
Phone: 917-414-9678; 212-439-0736
AIM/Twitter: jacksondevious
Facebook: Jackson Devious
Myspace: www.myspace.com/hillias
Email: hilliasj@earthlink.net
Office Hours: By appointment.
Pratt Institute, Manhattan Campus, Room 608
Mondays and Wednesdays, 6-9PM
Credits: 3: Elective
Prerequisites: None
Course Description:
This course explores the social and psychological needs and attitudes of adolescents, aged 12-18, and the literature created especially for this demographic. The primary focus of this class is the literacy practices of teenagers and the evaluation, selection and activation of print, online and non-print materials available for them. Special attention is paid to the developmental tasks of this age group with an eye towards literary recommendation. Discussion topics will include popular literature for teen readers, literacy and technology, the media and popular culture as it applies to this age group, non-print materials, and the use of specialized selection materials to develop collections in school and public libraries.
Course Goals:
• Students will develop an understanding of youth developmental tasks and learn how to apply those concepts in the library setting.
• Students will become familiar with print, online and non-print materials available for young adults and create pathways that connect adolescents to library offerings.
• Students will become familiar with review media, and learn how to develop and apply standards when making collection decisions.
• Students will explore a variety of methodologies to promote library materials and services in the eyes of adolescents.
Student Learning Outcomes:
• Develop a working knowledge of the variety of materials available for young adults, aged 12-18.
• Develop user-center strategies for promoting library materials for teenagers.
• Analyze, discuss, communicate and synthesize information and knowledge in a variety of formats.
• Respond to diversity in individuals and communities in terms of policies, collections, services and ideologies.
Course Requirements and Evaluation:
Class participation: 10%
Reflection Blogs: 20%
Talk to Teens Assignment and Presentation: 20%
Community Profile: 15%
Book Talks: 15%
Topical Resources List and Presentation: 20%
Course Policies:
• All students are required to attend class and arrive on time on a regular basis unless prior arrangements are made with the instructor. Continuous absence and/or lateness will result in a lower grade. Missing class without notifying the professor on an assignment or booktalk day will result in a lower grade for that assignment.
• All students will complete – on time – the assignments as outlined in this syllabus. Late assignments will result in a lower grade. If you need an extension on an assignment, please contact the professor.
• For each assignment that requires essay writing and/or the use of quotes or information from additional sources, students are required to use a consistent and recognizable citation style (MLA, APA, etc). All quoted information must be appropriately cited.
• Assignments should be delivered via email
• Frequent and/or consistent spelling, grammar, and/or style mistakes in written assignments will result in a lower grade.
Course Schedule:
Monday, June 29
Theme: Teens and Literacy/Achievement Motivation/Reading for Pleasure
Read:
Alexie: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Meyer: Twilight
Chmakova: Dramacon
Developmental assets:
http://www.search-institute.org/assets/
YALSA Blog:
http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/2009/01/18/best-of-2008-teen-blogger-style/#more-2000
Listen:
Twilight Soundtrack
Black Eyed Peas: Boom Boom Pow
Blog Setup
Ladder of Participation
Teens and Pop Culture: Anne Rouyer
Sign up for Myspace, Twitter and Facebook accounts. Friend your classmates!
Reading Habits Log assignment
Wednesday, July 1
Theme: Positive Identity
Readings:
Books:
Cooper: Altar Ego
St. James: Freak Show
Yoshida: Banana Fish Volume 1
Martin, Hillias J. and Murdock, James R. Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Teens: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians. Neal Schuman. 2007. Chapter 5, pages 65-79.
Schussler, Jennifer. Get A Life, Holden Caufield. The New York Times, Sunday, June 21, 2009.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/weekinreview/21schuessler.html?_r=1
Listen:
Beyonce: I Am Sasha Fierce
Watch:
The Hills
Booktalking Intro
Blog 1 Due
Monday, July 6
Theme: Safety, Service to Others, Youth as Resources, Commitment to Learning
Read:
Foreman: If I Stay
Lockhart: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks
Scott: Living Dead Girl
New York State Standards and libraries/media centers http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/pub.html
Watch:
Superbad
Listen:
Eminem: Relapse
Blog 2 Due
Wednesday, July 8
Theme: Support
Read:
Asher: Thirteen Reasons Why
Halse Anderson: Wintergirls
Martin, Hillias J. and Murdock, James R. Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Teens: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians. Neal Schuman. 2007. Chapter 6, pages 81-105.
Watch:
An episode of Family Guy
Listen:
Green Day: 21st Century Breakdown
Create your own radio station on Pandora.com or Last.FM
Booktalk 1 Due
Blog 3 Due
Monday, July 13
No Class: Catch up on Reading.
Community Resource List due via email
Blog 4 Due
Wednesday, July 15
Theme: Constructive Use of Time; Planning and Decision-Making
Read:
Doctorow: Little Brother
Scalin: Skulls
Yang, Gene: The Eternal Smile
Articles:
Ito, Mizuko, Heather A. Horst, Matteo Bittanti, danah boyd, Becky Herr-Stephenson, Patricia G. Lange, C.J. Pascoe, and Laura Robinson
(with Sonja Baumer, Rachel Cody, Dilan Mahendran, Katynka Martínez, Dan Perkel, Christo Sims, and Lisa Tripp.) Living and Learning with New Media: Summary of Findings from the Digital Youth Project. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Reports on Digital Media and Learning, November 2008. http://digitalyouth.ischool.berkeley.edu/report
Watch:
An episode of the Colbert Report
Listen:
My Chemical Romance—The Black Parade
Gaming Intro
Community Profile Due
Booktalk 2 due
Blog 5 due.
Monday, July 20
Theme: Boundaries and Expectations
Read:
Booth: Tyrell
Byrd: The Vast Fields of Ordinary
Yael and Chin: No Regrets
Malcolm, Janet. Advance Placement: The Wicked Joy of the “Gossip Girl” Novels. The New Yorker. http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2008/03/10/080310crat_atlarge_malcolm?currentPage=1
Watch:
An episode of Gossip Girl
Listen:
Lady Gaga: The Fame
Meet the Author Nick Burd and Alisha Niehaus, his fab editor!
Blog 6 due
Resource List Topic Due
Wednesday, July 22
Theme: Positive Values
Read:
Bowman: It’s Complicated: The American Teenager
Myracle: Bliss
Pearson: Grace After Midnight
Articles:
Prensky, Mark. Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. From On the Horizon. MCB Literary Press. Volume 9. Number 5. October 2001. http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/default.asp.
Magazines with teen appeal, such as Seventeen, GamePro, The Source or Alternative Press.
Watch:
Any Real Housewives episode
Listen:
Katy Perry: One of the Boys
Meet Chris Shoemaker, Teen Technology Programmer Extraordinaire!
Booktalk 3 Due
Blog 7 Due
Monday, July 27
Theme: Empowerment
Read:
Lyga: Boy Toy
Ohba: Deathnote, Volume 1: Boredom
Redd: Body Drama
Articles:
Moje, Elizabeth Birr. "To Be A Part of the Story: The Literacy Practices of Gangsta Adolescents ." Teachers College Record. Jun 2000.Vol.102, Iss. 3; pg. 651.
Watch:
An episode of America’s Next Top Model
Listen:
Rihanna—Good Girl Gone Bad Reloaded
Meet the Author Barry Lyga!
Talk to Teens Assignment Due
Blog 8 Due
Wednesday, July 29
Theme: Social Competencies
Read:
Cameron: Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You
Von Ziegesar: Gossip Girl
Miller: Passive Aggressive Notes
YALSA Blog, “Risky Business:”
http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/2009/01/07/risky-business/
Watch:
Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist
Listen:
Flo Rida: Hot and Cold
Jonas Brothers—Lines, Vines and Trying Times
Booktalk 4: Find a poem in a teen anthology and lyrics from a current popular song. Introduce and read them aloud in class.
Meet the Author Cecily Von Ziegesar!!!
Booktalk 4 due
Blog 9 Due
Monday, August 3
Theme: Equity and Social Justice; High Expectations
Read:
Kuklin: No Choirboy
Woods: True To the Game
Yoshinaga: Antique Bakery
Honig, Megan. “Takin It To the Street: Teens and Street Lit. Voices of Youth Advocates. August 2008 (near the bottom of the page): http://www.voya.com/WhatsInVoya/articles.shtml#articles
Watch:
The Dark Knight
Listen:
T.I.—The Paper Trail
Blog 10 Due
Meet Megan Honig!
Wednesday, August 5
Theme: Putting it all Together
Final Presentations due: Topical Resource lists and Booktalks
Course Assignments:
Class Participation—Students are expected to fully participate in class assignments, discussions, and exercises. Multiple absences from this class without prior notification to the instructor will result in a lower grade.
Blog Reflections—must be completed throughout the course. Blogging is a way for you to articulate your thoughts and ideas about the topics we discuss in class. Each week you should post a blog reflecting on the week’s readings, activities, discussions or any thoughts you might have about teens and libraries: teens, how to best serve them, the media they immerse themselves in, reading, literacy and more. Each blog should have:
A Title
A Focus—a specific book, TV show, etc
Direct relation to developmental assets
Good grammar and spelling (please proof your blogs before posting)
We will discuss how to set up your blogs on Day One of the class. The instructor will respond to your posts throughout the semester.
You are responsible for a total of ten blog posts, one post per class, throughout the semester, not counting the first and last class. Failure to post during each week will result in a lower grade.
Community Profile—Identify a neighborhood or community in New York City (Belmont, Park Slope, Astoria, etc). Research how that neighborhood supports the teens who live in it: schools, police stations, hospitals, community-based organizations, after school programs and cultural institutions. Create an annotated resource list of at least ten agencies in that community who serve teens designed for a teen audience. Grades will be based on content, accuracy, grammar and overall appeal of the list, including the design. Be prepared to discuss highlights of your list with the class.
This assignment is due on Monday, July 13.
Talk To Teens Assignment and Discussion—Identify a group of teens that regularly come together in a public or school library. Arrange with the librarian to meet with them. (If you need help finding a library with a group of teens, please consult with the instructor.)
Prior to the meeting, read over some of the Young Adult Library Services Associations published book lists, such as Best Books for Young Adults or Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers from the past 2-3 years (not older). Bring some of the titles from those lists to your meeting with the librarian in the teens.
During your meeting, ask the teens:
What they read? In print? Online?
How often they read?
What do they think reading means?
What do they do when they’re not reading?
Would they read any of the titles you brought to the discussion? Why or why not?
What do they think of their school or public library?
After the meeting, compile the information you gathered (answers from the teens and librarian plus your own ideas) into a paper with a title and focus. Be sure to include your own observations and conclusions from conducting the interview. Be prepared to describe your experience on the day this assignment is due.
This assignment is due on Monday, July 27.
Book Talks—Book talks vary in length and style, which will be discussed on Thursday, February 12. In total, you are responsible for five formal book talks throughout the course.
These book talks are due on Wednesdays July 8, 15, 22, 29.
Topical Resource List and Presentation—Choose a topic that addresses one or more developmental tasks to be approved by the instructor on Monday, July 20. Create, compile and design an annotated resource list/bibliography for a teen audience of materials—both print and non-print—related to that topic. Include at least 15 titles. Be prepared to book talk at least 3-4 materials from the list in a 8-10-minute presentation. Accuracy, originality and teen appeal should be considered.
This assignment is due on Wednesday, August 5.
Reading List:
Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Little, Brown: 2007.
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Wintergirls. Viking: 2009.
Asher, Jay. Thirteen Reasons Why. Razorbill: 2007.
Booth, Coe. Tyrell. Push: 2006.
Bowman, Robin. It’s Complicated: The American Teenager. Umbrage: 2007.
Byrd, Nick. The Vast Fields of Ordinary. Dial: 2009.
Cameron, Peter. Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux: 2007.
Chmakova, Svetlana. Dramacon. TokyoPop: 2005.
Cooper, Robbie. Alter Ego: Avatars and Their Creators. Chris Boot, LTD.: 2007.
Doctorow, Cory. Little Brother. TOR: 2008.
Foreman, Gayle. If I Stay. Penguin: 2009.
Kuklin, Susan. No Choirboy: Murder, Violence and Teenagers on Death Row. Henry Holt: 2008.
Lockhart, E. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks. Hyperion: 2008.
Lyga, Barry. Boy Toy. Houghton Mifflin: 2007.
Meyer, Stephenie. Twilight. 2005.
Miller, Kerry. Passive Aggressive Notes: Painfully Polite and Hilariously Hostile Writings. HarperCollins: 2008.
Myracle, Lauren. Bliss. Amulet: 2008.
Ohba, Tsugumi. Death Note Volume 1. Viz: 2005.
Pearson, Felicia “Snoop,” and Ritz David. Grace After Midnight: A Memoir. Grand Central Publishing: 2007.
Redd, Nancy Amanda and Kline, Kelly. Body Drama: Real Girls, Real Bodies, Real Issues, Real Answers. Penguin: 2007.
Scalin, Noah. Skulls. Sterling: 2008.
Scott, Elizabeth. Living Dead Girl. Simon Pulse: 2008.
St. James, James. Freak Show. Dutton: 2007.
Von Ziegesar, Cecily. Gossip Girl. Little, Brown: 2002.
Woods, Terri. True To the Game. Grand Central Publishing: 2007.
Yael, Aviva, Chen, P. M., Cross, David. No Regrets: The Best, Worst, Most #$%* Tattoos Ever. Grand Central: 2008.
Yang, Gene. The Eternal Smile. First Second: 2009.
Yoshida, Akimi. Banana Fish Volume 1. Viz: 2003.
Yoshinaga, Fumi. Antique Bakery